European Lawmakers Critical of Trump’s NATO Approach

[Valin]

Washington Free Beacon

EU MP Calls Trump's NATO demands 'brutal,' 'irritating'

Natalie Johnson
July 12, 2018

European lawmakers on Thursday criticized President Donald Trump's strong-arm approach to this week's NATO summit in Brussels, where the U.S. president reiterated demands that alliance members increase their military spending.

Speaking on a panel hosted by the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., members of the European Parliament warned that Trump's rhetorical cracks against allies such as Germany and France will provide fodder to adversaries that want to see the coalition in disarray.

"It was not a new message from the U.S., but the way it was put by President Trump is new, very brutal, I think too much … it's irritating," said Arnaud Danjean, a French member of the European Parliament.

"The way you express things does matter, especially between allies. Humiliating allies has a cost, so you will gain something maybe in the short-term, but it really sews seeds of mistrust and I think we should pay attention to that."

(Snip)

[nickydog]

It's just a shame that our president doesn't speak like a lifetime diplomat or politician, or like the smooth-talking former President Obama.  But there are a whole heck of a lot of Americans who think he talks just fine, and we don't care whether you like it or not, Arnaud Danjean.